Global Passport Power Rankings 2024: Six Nations Share the Top Spot

Six nations have tied for first place in the annual Henley Passport Index, which ranks the most powerful Passport in the world for 2024. This is an unprecedented result. Each country is ranked according to this system based on the number of places to which a traveller can enter without a visa or with one upon arrival.

Japan held the top spot for five consecutive years, but now it shares its position with France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, and Spain. Each country offers visa-free access to 194 destinations out of the 227 worldwide.

South Korea joins Finland and Sweden in the second spot, providing visa-free travel to 193 destinations. Meanwhile, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlands jointly hold the third position, offering access to 192 destinations. The UK has climbed two places to take the fourth spot, alongside Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, and Portugal, with access to 191 nations each.

Greece, Malta, and Switzerland complete the top five, providing visa-free access to 190 places. The United States maintains its seventh position, allowing access to 188 destinations without a visa in advance. It has been a decade since the UK and the US jointly held the first place on the index in 2014.

Conversely, Afghanistan possesses the least potent passport, granting access to only 28 destinations without requiring a visa beforehand. Following Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen rank low in passport power.

The disparity between the most and least powerful passports has significantly grown since the index’s inception. Dr Christian H Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners and the creator of the passport index concept, notes that the top-ranked countries can now travel to 166 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan, which ranks at the bottom of the list with access to just 28 countries without a visa.

The Henley Passport Index utilizes official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Top 10 Most Powerful Passports 2024:

1. France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain (194)
2. Finland, South Korea, Sweden (193)
3. Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands (192)
4. Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, UK (191)
5. Greece, Malta, Switzerland (190)
6. Australia, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Poland (189)
7. Canada, Hungary, US (188)
8. Estonia, Lithuania (187)
9. Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (186)
10. Iceland (185)

Top 10 Least Powerful Passports 2024:

1. Afghanistan (28)
2. Syria (29)
3. Iraq (31)
4. Pakistan (34)
5. Yemen (35)
6. Somalia (36)
7. Libya, Nepal, Palestinian Territories (40)
8. Bangladesh, North Korea (42)
9. Eritrea, Sri Lanka (43)
10. Iran, Lebanon, Nigeria, Sudan (45)